Standing knee raise
Muscles worked : Core, hip flexors
How to do it
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Lift one knee towards your chest, keeping the back straight.
- Pause briefly at the top, core engaged.
- Lower under control and repeat, or alternate sides.
Common mistakes
- The back rounding to lift the knee higher.
- Leaning back to compensate instead of keeping the chest upright.
- A thrown rather than controlled movement.
Where you should feel it
The lower abdomen and the front of the hip on the lifting side, with a balance effort on the supporting leg. If the back arches or the chest tips back, the core is no longer holding the pelvis.
Range of motion
Lift the knee to hip height, no more. Going higher tips the pelvis backwards and transfers the work from the hip flexors to the lower back.
Tempo and breathing
One to two seconds up, a brief pause at the top, two seconds down. The controlled descent counts as much as the lift.
What works, precisely
The iliopsoas and rectus femoris flex the hip. The abdominals, especially the transverse, stop the pelvis tipping — that co-contraction is what separates a genuine standing core exercise from a simple knee lift.
Movement mechanics
Open-chain hip flexion, doubled with a single-leg stabilisation demand. Standing adds a balance requirement absent from floor core work, which brings it closer to the real constraints of walking.
Benefits
- Works the core standing up, which is where it actually does its job.
- Trains single-leg balance, directly tied to walking stability.
- Needs no clean floor and no mat: practicable in street clothes, anywhere.
Adapt and progress
- Easier : Keep one hand lightly on a wall or chair back.
- Harder : Let go of the support, close your eyes, or extend the hold at the top.
- Move on when : When fifteen repetitions per leg go by with no support and no backward lean.